Quote Originally Posted by GSH
Q. So how can the Spurs counter Boris Diaw, and pull out a win on Tuesday?
A. Play the exact same game they played on Sunday afternoon, but knock down a few open shots. (That includes finishing at the rim, instead of looking for whistles that aren't going to come.) I haven't seen anyone else mention it, but without Bell and Diaw, the rest of the Suns team shot 34% for the game. If the Spurs don't make any adjustment at all, those two aren't going to combine for 47 points again next game.

On Tuesday night, I'll take the exact same defensive stats as Sunday - with the Spurs holding everyone but Bell and Diaw to 34%. And on Wednesday morning it will be time to start filming the new season of Fishing with Mike.
Diaw still got his points with Finley defending him. But the Spurs held the rest of the Suns team (without Diaw) to 35% from the floor. This time the Spurs knocked down a few open shots, and Bell didn't have a career game. I know a lot of people didn't believe it, but that's how little difference there was between this win and the blowout loss on Sunday.

Pop didn't have to make any major adjustments. Diaw was a tough cover for Finley. But the Suns weren't designed to run a half court offense that goes through Diaw in the low post. D'Antoni thought he had found an advantage in that matchup. But the Suns wound up playing the Spurs game because of it. Between that and the Hack-a-Shaq, Phoenix never got their offense into any kind of rhythm.

I think it was a pretty nifty bit of coaching, regardless of how ugly that matchup looked.